Name: Summer Corn and Orzo Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 1/3 cups dried orzo; 3 cups fresh corn kernels; 2 red bell peppers, chopped; 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced; 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved; 2 tsp lime zest; 2 limes--juice; 3-4 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 3/4 teaspoon salt; 4 teaspoons chili powder; 2 teaspoons garlic powder; 1 teaspoon cumin; 1 teaspoon oregano; 1 1/2 pounds beef sirloin steak, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

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Fresh and bright, this colorful summer corn and orzo salad is easy to make and the perfect side dish. Plus it’s ready in less than 20 minutes.

My sister introduced me to this recipe, and I’m so glad she did. It has quickly become a favorite of mine, and in our family. I love that it’s so easy to make–nothing fancy–just fresh vegetables, orzo, a little lime, and olive oil. It tastes like summer on a plate!

Summer Orzo Salad

We love to BBQ all through the summer months, as much as we can. I’m always looking for really yummy side dishes and salads that we can serve with any of the meats we are grilling. Guess what? I’ve found it! I could not get enough of this summer orzo pasta salad the first time I had it, and I knew it was destined to be a favorite.

Another reason to love this salad is that it’s just so quick and easy. While the orzo is boiling, you have time to chop the vegetables, and then it all comes together very quickly. You can have it on the table in less than 20 minutes!

All the flavors meld together so beautifully with the vegetables. Fresh corn, grape tomatoes, and red onion are the perfect complement to the lime and cilantro.

Ingredients you’ll need for this recipe

Grape tomatoes
Red onion
Fresh corn
Cilantro
Lime
Olive oil
Orzo

If you plan to make beef kabobs or sliced steak, you’ll also need:

Cumin
Garlic powder
Chili powder
Oregano
Beef sirloin steak

Doesn’t that make your mouth water? YUM!

How to make Corn and Orzo Salad

According to the package directions, cook the orzo. While the water is boiling, start chopping and preparing the vegetables, starting with the fresh corn, so it’s ready to go. Make sure to rinse all your vegetables well, and pat dry.

Add the corn in the final minute of cooking, then drain and rinse. In a large bowl, mix all the vegetables, along with orzo and corn mixture.

Prepare the dressing by mixing the olive oil, chopping cilantro, and lime juice together in a glass measuring cup. Toss the salad with the dressing and mix well. You can serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready.

The beauty of this recipe is that you can adjust the amounts of the different vegetables to your liking. If you prefer more or less tomatoes, onion, or bell pepper, you can make the changes quite easily.

Beef Kabobs with Corn and Orzo Salad

One of our favorite things to serve this salad with is beef kabobs or sliced beef if we’re in a hurry. (Like the day I took this picture!)

The recipe for the beef marinade is also included below–it’s a simple homemade spice blend that is the perfect complement to the salad.